Retirement Starts Today

By Benjamin Brandt CFP®, RICP®

What's Retirement Starts Today about?

Do you want to spend more money in retirement, while paying less taxes? Great news, you're in the right place!

I'll also teach you the benefits of retiring TO something, while most retirees only solve half the equation by retiring FROM something. Tune in every Monday morning - hosted by Benjamin Brandt CFP, RICP.

Join my "Every Day is Saturday" weekly newsletter for show notes, free book giveaways and other great retirement content: www.retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter

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Retirement Starts Today episodes:

04.15.2024
Index Funds Have Officially Won, Ep #344
Do you have index funds in your portfolio? Chances are you do! Our retirement headline today describes the rise of index funds over active funds and why that’s important. Discover how index funds connect with my investment philosophy by pressing...
04.08.2024
The 529 to Roth IRA Rollover, Ep # 343
Recent legislation has made everyone’s favorite college savings plan a little more flexible. Funds in a 529 plan aren’t as locked up as they used to be now that your children’s unused college funds can be rolled into a retirement...
04.01.2024
The 4 Phases of Retirement, Ep #342
It may be easy to define success in your working career, but defining success in retirement can be more difficult. What does success look like in retirement? What will you do daily or weekly to get the most out of...
03.25.2024
A Short History of the 60/40 Portfolio, Ep #341
Due to last year's poor market returns, you’ve probably seen the headlines that the 60/40 portfolio is dead. But is that really the case? This week’s retirement headline explores the history of this classic retirement investment strategy. After we tackle...
03.18.2024
8 Ways to Become Poor in Retirement, Ep #340
There are many ways that could threaten your financial security in retirement. Knowing the common issues can ensure that you don’t fall into the traps. Today’s financial headline comes from Yahoo Finance and is called 8 Ways Baby Boomers...
03.11.2024
More Than Half of Americans Want to Retire Gradually, Ep #339
We all want to retire, but have you considered how you would like to transition to retirement? This week’s retirement headline article shares some interesting statistics on phased retirements: who is thinking about them, who is utilizing them, and what...
03.04.2024
The Retirement Crisis That Wasn’t, Ep #338
Once upon a time, there was a prediction that the baby boomer generation would face a retirement crisis. So how did this gloom and doom projection turn into the wealthiest generation in history? Listen in to find out. Make sure...
02.26.2024
Using Guardrails For The 4% Rule, Ep #337
You’ve heard of the 4% rule, and if you’ve listened to this podcast before, you’ve heard of Guyton’s guardrails strategy. But have you ever heard of using them together? Today’s retirement headline explores this idea. Overall, the article highlights the...
02.19.2024
The Challenges of Retiring from a High-Powered Job, Ep #336
Is it possible to suddenly step away from a high-powered job and into a life of leisure? This may not be the best idea for your retirement if you work at the executive level. In this episode of Retirement Starts...
02.12.2024
5 Expenses Retirees Wish They Spent More Money On, Ep # 335
There are two ways to mess up retirement: run out of money or die with regret. Oftentimes, people in the retirement space only focus on the running out of money part. In an effort to help you live an even...
02.05.2024
2 Social Security Mulligans, Ep # 334
If you want to spend more money in retirement you’ll want to understand how to maximize your Social Security benefits. Many people think that there is no going back once you’ve decided to collect your Social Security benefits. However, today’s...
01.29.2024
Save Money with These Tax Tips, Ep #333
Tax season is here so when I found this article from Morning Star to share some tax tips for you. Your tax bill will be the largest bill you pay in retirement. If you want to reduce it, make sure to...
01.22.2024
A Tax Break Worth the Hassle, Ep # 332
Some tax breaks aren’t worth the hassle of pursuing them, however, today’s example is definitely worth the hassle! If you are charitably minded you’ll want to listen to learn about the advantages of making qualified charitable distributions. Discover how to...
01.15.2024
We Need to Talk About Your Retirement Spending, Ep #331
Planning retirement spending is tough to do since there are so many unknowns. Many people tend to take a fear-based approach and rely on the 4% rule. Some even take a step further and spend less of their nest egg....
01.08.2024
I Don’t Want To Be Old When I Am Old, Ep # 330
I don’t know about you, but I want to stay active and healthy for as long as possible. That’s why when I saw this Forbes article I knew I wanted to share it with you. If you want to learn how...
01.01.2024
Lessons Learned from Fall Tax Meetings, Ep #329
As you probably know by now, Bret and I are here to help you spend more money and spend less in taxes so that you can live an even better life in retirement. This week we’re helping you do that...
12.25.2023
How to Pay 0% on Capital Gains [Rebroadcast]
Would a 0% tax rate help you live an even better retirement? In this week’s Retirement Headline, we’ll explore a WSJ article titled How You Can Grab a 0% Tax Rate. If that doesn’t pique your interest, I don’t know what...
12.18.2023
3 Tricks to Help Retirees Spend More [Rebroadcast]
If you have diligently saved throughout your career, you may be ready to retire, yet still feel uncertain about spending your savings. To truly live your best life in retirement you need to learn how to shift from a saving...
12.11.2023
12 Reasons to Rent in Retirement [Rebroadcast]
One of the greatest financial assumptions is that it’s always better to own than to rent. However, in retirement, this may not be true. Once you are financially independent it is important to realize that not every dollar you spend...
12.04.2023
A Few Simple Tricks Turn Humble HSAs Into Wealth Builders [Rebroadcast]
Do you have an HSA? If so, do you simply use it to pay for your medical expenses? Or do you use it as a way to build your wealth? Today we’ll look at an article from Financial Advisor Magazine...
11.27.2023
The Puzzling Gap Between How Old You Are and How Old You Think You Are [Rebroadcast]
We are spending some extra time off from the podcast over this holiday season to spend time with family. I hope you're using this opportunity to spend some time with family as well. I've gone through my favorite episodes of...
11.20.2023
Spend Your Principal! Ep #323
Most people are worried about spending too much and running out of money in retirement. However, few people worry about spending too little. In this week’s episode of Retirement Starts Today, you’ll learn why you should spend your principal in...
11.16.2023
Only through November 20th...
Hey podcast listeners. I just wanted to jump into your podcast feed here really quickly and give you an update on the new project we're working on where our firm is taking on new clients. The plan was to leave...
11.13.2023
Boost Your Retirement Confidence by 17% with One Simple Trick, Ep #322
Would you like to have more confidence in your retirement plan? In the retirement headlines segment, you’ll learn one simple way to increase your certainty about what you can accomplish in retirement. In the listener questions segment, Bret helps answer...
11.06.2023
5 Alternatives To The 4% Retirement Withdrawal Rule, Ep #321
Do you wish you had more optionality when it comes to designing your retirement? In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll explore an article from Forbes that poses five alternatives to the 4% rule that you may want to explore...
10.30.2023
I Saved Too Much for Retirement, Ep # 320
What happens if you get to retirement age and realize that you saved too much? Believe it or not, this does happen and has its own set of problems. In this episode, we’ll explore those problems along with some potential...
10.23.2023
Bad Timing Cost Fund Investors 17% Ep #319
Would you like to make $170,000? On this episode, you’ll learn what you can do to save yourself 17% in lower returns over a decade. On a million-dollar portfolio that comes to $170,000! In the Retirement Headline segment, we’ll dive...
10.16.2023
Ways to Use Home Equity in Retirement, Ep #318
Have you thought about using your home’s equity to help you fund a portion of your retirement? In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll explore a Morningstar article that examines ways to use this supersized emergency fund. If you...
10.09.2023
Plan on Living to 100, Ep # 317
Do you remember when you were a kid and were fascinated by the thought of living to be 100? It seemed like such a far-fetched idea, but now with advances in technology, nutrition, and medicine, this far-flung notion increasingly seems...
10.02.2023
Traveling After 65 with Danielle Roberts from Boomer Benefits, Ep #316
Medicare’s open enrollment is starting soon, so I’ve invited Danielle Roberts from Boomer Benefits to join me today. In this episode, we’re discussing what’s new with Medicare in 2024, the important dates to remember for open enrollment, when to reevaluate...
09.25.2023
401K Millionaires are Back! Ep # 315
As retirement super savers, you all know that slow and steady wins the race. According to this Wall Street Journal article, that race is paying off again for many Americans. In the retirement headlines segment, we’ll take a look at this...
09.18.2023
The Problems with Monte Carlo Are in Your Mind, Ep #314
Even if you aren’t familiar with Monte Carlo analyses, you’ve probably used it. Monte Carlo drives math behind the retirement planning software that you use. Monte Carlo software is truly amazing, however, the way people look at it is wrong. ...
09.11.2023
Why Are the Notes Found in Aretha Franklin’s Couch a Valid Will? Ep #313
Aretha Franklin can teach you more than a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T. On this episode of Retirement Starts Today, you’ll learn from her estate plan (or lack thereof). After hearing about this estate plan gone haywire Bret and I will team up...
09.04.2023
Overdoing Delayed Gratification, Ep #312
Here at Retirement Starts Today, we are always looking for ways to teach you how to spend more money so that you can enjoy an even better retirement. However, many times our clients and listeners have trouble loosening their purse...
08.28.2023
7 Tips to Maintain a Sense of Purpose in Retirement, Ep #311
I’ve always said that it’s important to retire to something rather than away from something. To do that means finding a sense of purpose. In this episode, we’ll explore an article from PhysicianOnFIRE.com that discusses how retirees can discover and maintain a...
08.21.2023
How to Pay 0% on Capital Gains, Ep #310
Would a 0% tax rate help you live an even better retirement? In this week’s Retirement Headline, we’ll explore a WSJ article titled How You Can Grab a 0% Tax Rate. If that doesn’t pique your interest, I don’t know...
08.14.2023
Dirty Dozen Tax Scams, Ep #309
Scammers are constantly changing their playbooks to try and stay ahead of the authorities. That is why the IRS annually updates its “Dirty Dozen Tax Scam” list. This week we’ll explore the latest article from the IRS on this year’s tax...
08.07.2023
Should We Even Worry About IRMAA? Ep #308
As a financial advisor that thinks a lot about the Medicare surcharge IRMAA, an article titled Stop Worrying About IRMAA written by a source I trust certainly caught my eye. In this episode, we’ll explore what IRMAA does, reflect on...
07.31.2023
The Most Powerful Way to Live Longer? Ep #307
Who wants to live longer? I know I do! Before you start taking magic pills and seeking the fountain of youth in an effort to increase your life span, Alex Janin from the Wall Street Journal suggests you start exercising. ...
07.24.2023
3 Tricks to Help Retirees Spend More, Ep #306
If you have diligently saved throughout your career, you may be ready to retire, yet still feel uncertain about spending your savings. To truly live your best life in retirement you need to learn how to shift from a saving...
07.17.2023
The #1 Retirement Challenge That No One Talks About, Ep #305
If you are new to the show, welcome! This is a place where we talk about how to spend more money, pay less taxes, and have an even better retirement. Today we’re investigating that last part–the even better retirement. In...
07.10.2023
Your Brain Has Tricked You Into Thinking Everything Is Worse, Ep # 304
Do you long for a lost golden age when everything was better? If you do you’re not alone. Many people feel that society is experiencing a moral decline. But is that really true? On this episode of Retirement Starts Today,...
07.03.2023
Your Future (Retired) Self, Ep #303
If you want an amazing retirement you need to start thinking about your future self. We discussed the idea of your future self on a previous episode where I interviewed my coach, Dr. Benjamin Hardy. In this episode, we’re taking...
07.01.2023
EP #300 Celebration! (HUGE discount on Retirement Income University)
Happy 4th of July weekend!! Can you believe the podcast that started as a crazy experiment on my kitchen counter in the fall of 2015 is now over 300 episodes?! Thank you for all your support over these many years. ...
06.26.2023
12 Reasons to Rent in Retirement, Ep #302
One of the greatest financial assumptions is that it’s always better to own than to rent. However, in retirement, this may not be true. Once you are financially independent it is important to realize that not every dollar you spend...
06.19.2023
The Power of Semi-Retirement and Work-Life Balance, Ep #301
Have you considered working part-time in retirement? A growing number of older adults are choosing to continue work even after reaching retirement age. While some continue work due to financial necessity, many choose work that offers fulfillment and enjoyment. In...
06.12.2023
$300 Gym Bag, Ep # 300
If you clicked on this title you may be wondering what a $300 gym bag has to do with retirement. Well, this podcast focuses on learning how to spend more money and pay less taxes to set yourself up for...
06.05.2023
Retirement Mastermind Groups, Ep #299
Have you ever considered joining a retirement mastermind group? Many of us choose mastermind groups to further our careers, businesses, or other areas of our lives, but few think to create one for retirement planning. Today, we’ll focus this entire...
05.29.2023
Rich People Unsatisfied with Their Wealth, Ep #298
Have you ever thought about how much money you need to be truly happy? If so, you’re not alone. And chances are that number is elusive. In today’s Retirement Headline segment, we’ll check out an article from The Atlantic called “The Reason...
05.22.2023
A Comparison of Variable Spending Strategies, Ep # 297
If you have found this podcast you’re probably interested in spending more money, spending less in taxes, and making life even better in retirement. On this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’re taking a look at how to spend more...

What's Retirement Starts Today about?

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Retirement Starts Today episodes:

Index Funds Have Officially Won, Ep #344

The 529 to Roth IRA Rollover, Ep # 343

The 4 Phases of Retirement, Ep #342

A Short History of the 60/40 Portfolio, Ep #341

8 Ways to Become Poor in Retirement, Ep #340

More Than Half of Americans Want to Retire Gradually, Ep #339

The Retirement Crisis That Wasn’t, Ep #338

Using Guardrails For The 4% Rule, Ep #337

The Challenges of Retiring from a High-Powered Job, Ep #336

5 Expenses Retirees Wish They Spent More Money On, Ep # 335

2 Social Security Mulligans, Ep # 334

Save Money with These Tax Tips, Ep #333

A Tax Break Worth the Hassle, Ep # 332

We Need to Talk About Your Retirement Spending, Ep #331

I Don’t Want To Be Old When I Am Old, Ep # 330

Lessons Learned from Fall Tax Meetings, Ep #329

How to Pay 0% on Capital Gains [Rebroadcast]

3 Tricks to Help Retirees Spend More [Rebroadcast]

12 Reasons to Rent in Retirement [Rebroadcast]

A Few Simple Tricks Turn Humble HSAs Into Wealth Builders [Rebroadcast]

The Puzzling Gap Between How Old You Are and How Old You Think You Are [Rebroadcast]

Spend Your Principal! Ep #323

Only through November 20th...

Boost Your Retirement Confidence by 17% with One Simple Trick, Ep #322

5 Alternatives To The 4% Retirement Withdrawal Rule, Ep #321

I Saved Too Much for Retirement, Ep # 320

Bad Timing Cost Fund Investors 17% Ep #319

Ways to Use Home Equity in Retirement, Ep #318

Plan on Living to 100, Ep # 317

Traveling After 65 with Danielle Roberts from Boomer Benefits, Ep #316

401K Millionaires are Back! Ep # 315

The Problems with Monte Carlo Are in Your Mind, Ep #314

Why Are the Notes Found in Aretha Franklin’s Couch a Valid Will? Ep #313

Overdoing Delayed Gratification, Ep #312

7 Tips to Maintain a Sense of Purpose in Retirement, Ep #311

How to Pay 0% on Capital Gains, Ep #310

Dirty Dozen Tax Scams, Ep #309

Should We Even Worry About IRMAA? Ep #308

The Most Powerful Way to Live Longer? Ep #307

3 Tricks to Help Retirees Spend More, Ep #306

The #1 Retirement Challenge That No One Talks About, Ep #305

Your Brain Has Tricked You Into Thinking Everything Is Worse, Ep # 304

Your Future (Retired) Self, Ep #303

EP #300 Celebration! (HUGE discount on Retirement Income University)

12 Reasons to Rent in Retirement, Ep #302

The Power of Semi-Retirement and Work-Life Balance, Ep #301

$300 Gym Bag, Ep # 300

Retirement Mastermind Groups, Ep #299

Rich People Unsatisfied with Their Wealth, Ep #298

A Comparison of Variable Spending Strategies, Ep # 297